Vaping feels like a recent invention, but the idea is more than 60 years old. This guide covers when the e-cigarette was invented and by whom, how vaping arrived in the UK and how the rules around it have changed, and a short summary of how many people vape today and why.
When was vaping invented?
The earliest electronic cigarette can be traced to 1963, when an American named Herbert A. Gilbert patented what he called "a smokeless non-tobacco cigarette". His device heated a flavoured liquid to produce a vapour instead of burning tobacco. According to US patent records, it was never commercialised.
The modern e-cigarette came 40 years later. In 2003, Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, developed a device that turned a nicotine solution into an inhalable vapour. He also proposed diluting the nicotine in propylene glycol and holding it in a plastic cartridge that doubled as the mouthpiece, an idea that shaped the devices that followed.
Who invented the vape?
Two people are usually credited. Herbert A. Gilbert came up with the first design in 1963, but it never went on sale. Hon Lik is credited with inventing the modern e-cigarette in 2003, and his design was the first to become a commercial product.
When did vaping come to the UK?
E-cigarettes spread from China to Europe in the mid-2000s. One important British contribution came in 2006, when British entrepreneurs Umer and Tariq Sheikh invented the "cartomizer", which combined the heating coil and the liquid chamber in one part. According to the same patent records, their device launched in the UK in 2007, and the design was adopted by most early "cigalike" brands: e-cigarettes shaped to look like cigarettes.
When did vaping become popular?
Vaping grew quickly through the 2010s. According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the share of adults in Great Britain who vape rose from 1.7% in 2012 to over 10% by the mid-2020s. Devices moved on from cigalikes to vape pens, refillable tanks, box mods and, more recently, compact pod kits.
In the early 2020s, cheap single-use disposable vapes took off. According to ASH, the share of vapers mainly using a disposable rose from 2% in 2021 to a peak of 31% in 2023, before the sale of disposables was banned in 2025. Our vaping statistics page shows how vapers moved to pod devices afterwards.
How the rules on vaping have changed
As vaping grew, so did regulation. The key UK milestones:
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1963 | Herbert A. Gilbert patents a "smokeless non-tobacco cigarette" |
| 2003 | Hon Lik invents the modern e-cigarette in China |
| 2007 | The British-designed cartomizer e-cigarette launches in the UK |
| 2015 | Selling nicotine vapes to under-18s, or buying them for under-18s, becomes illegal |
| 2016 | The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations cap tanks at 2ml, nicotine refill bottles at 10ml and nicotine strength at 20mg/ml |
| 2025 | Disposable vapes are banned from sale from 1 June |
| 2026 | The Tobacco and Vapes Act becomes law in April, extending the 18+ age limit to all vapes and nicotine products from 29 October. Vaping Products Duty of £2.20 per 10ml starts on 1 October |
The 2016 limits come from the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. The disposables ban made it illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes. Our vaping statistics page has a fuller timeline, including dates still to come. For the latest age rules, see our guide to how old you have to be to vape.
How many people vape in the UK?
About 5.5 million adults in Great Britain vape, around 10% of people aged 18 and over, according to ASH's 2026 survey. Most are ex-smokers (60%), a third still smoke as well (32%), and 8% have never smoked. After a decade of growth, the number has levelled off since 2024.
For the full picture, including trends since 2012, who vapes, the devices and flavours people use, and our own sales data, see our UK vaping statistics page.
Why do people vape?
When ASH asked adults who vape why they do it, the two most common answers were to help them quit smoking (18%) and because they enjoy the experience (16%), according to its summary of the 2026 survey. The high share of ex-smokers among vapers reflects how many people use vaping as a way to stop smoking. Our statistics page breaks the reasons down by smoking status.
If you're thinking of switching from cigarettes, our beginner's guide to vaping explains how to get started.
Frequently asked questions
How long has vaping been around?
The first patent for an electronic cigarette dates from 1963, but the modern e-cigarette was invented in 2003. Vapes have been sold in the UK since around 2007, so modern vaping has been around for roughly two decades.
When did the first vape come out?
Hon Lik's e-cigarette, invented in 2003, was the first to be sold commercially. Herbert A. Gilbert's 1963 design never went on sale.
Is vaping more popular than smoking in the UK?
By some measures. The ONS found that in 2024, slightly more people in Great Britain used e-cigarettes (10.0%) than smoked (9.1%). ASH's 2026 survey still finds slightly more smokers (11%) than vapers (10%). Our vaping statistics page compares the two sources.
Written by John Boughey, General Manager at Gourmet E-Liquid. Last reviewed: 2 October 2026. Statistics are from ASH and the ONS; see our UK vaping statistics page for full sources. Spotted something wrong? Report a factual error.